89 Point Wines, ENOUGH ALREADY!

89 Point Wines, ENOUGH ALREADY! – Episode #320

September 25, 2007

Gary Vaynerchuk explores the 89 point phenomenon. Some fun wines today!

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Comments on this episode(151) Leave a comment ›

“Fun episode, interesting topid.

QOTD: Most deadlines are fundamenta…” by Phredd
“republican or democrat…. can’t we just be american? Legalize it!…” by Chris Lotz
View all 151 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2005 Chehalem Riesling ReserveOregon Riesling
2006 Te Kairanga Pinot NoirNew Zealand Pinot Noir
2005 Minchin Le Clos DelormeOther Loire Red Wine
2003 Miguel Torres Syrah ReservaChilean Shiraz
2003 Chateau SaintaymeSt Emilion
2004 Turkey Flat GrenacheAustralian Grenache

Links mentioned in todays episode.

151 Responses

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September 25, 2007

John Farrin
If you can’t bring yourself to tell us hoe you really feel I don’t see how this wine vlog thing is going to work I’m ready for all the education you want to throw at us. Great show!!!!!!!!!

I drew the line several years ago on the ridiculous price explosion in California wines and I live in California. Today, my cellar only includes about 15% California wines because for the most part they don’t represent good QPR.
September 25, 2007

Zimster
Great show — love the idea of looking at 89 wines, Hey, by keeping away the 90-crowd, there may be some bargains.
September 25, 2007

Nyquil
qotd: some people think i’m not a serious wine drinker because i occasionally enjoy a boxed wine. there are some decent boxed wines out there. right now i’m drinking Black Box 2005 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon and i’m enjoying it. it’s definitely not the best wine i’ve had this month, but:

1. it’s a great value (4 bottles of wine for about $17)
2. it’s an easy pour, and no worrying about the vacuum pump
3. it lasts more than a week
4. it tastes good

people who snub boxed wines are people who have tasted Frangia, or the like… which i agree are complete crap… and not even an enjoyable kind of crap!

you should do a show on some good boxed wines. that will freak everyone out.
September 25, 2007

Jeff O
QOTD: A sort of line in the sand that drives me nuts (and I’m sure many others) is the insistence upon the Yellow Tails and others like that being so great and the “bargain wines” and the “cool to bring to a dinner party wines”. There are SO many good wines out there at the same or slightly higher price points that people don’t buy simply because they arenâ€™t as “trendy” and people just donâ€™t know.
September 25, 2007

Adria
Watched the back episode from the 20th… made me have a good giggle at the end of a LONG day. I have to be careful though- I’ve started describing wines a little too honestly through your influence, and it impedes my sales at times. I recently described the Bracco 2005 Primitivo as a back to school special- pencil shavings and not quite broken-in Converse…. ^_^

QOTD: Pre-judging people based on class- there are genuine, intelligent people all over the world that deserve a chance to thrive, not just the privileged, powerful upper class.
September 25, 2007

E. Zimman
Great show Gary. Loved the ELLEN clips…that producer was hysterical.

QOTD: Line in the sand…line in the sand…have to ruminate more on this one while drinking some wine
September 25, 2007

Lynne
BTW: I answered “yes” to all of your “do you like” questions. I lived on cold pizza in college. AND Dr. Pepper.
September 25, 2007

JC
Great show!
September 25, 2007

Lynne
Gary, I totally enjoyed this show. I’m so intrigued by the “veggie” wine, that it is already in my basket. You brought a wine to the ChiTown party and when I smelled it, I immediately thought of a vegetable garden. I think it might have been the Philip Togni. This one is much less expensive than PT and I am looking forward to trying it.
QOD:
I draw the line at over-priced culty wines. I have to believe there is something of similar quality out there for half the money. If that’s not true, someone please enlighten me.
September 25, 2007

Badger Ann
QOTD: My line in the sand concerns comments like the one I heard last week at my local wine shop. Customer tells shop employee: “I’m only interested in purchasing 93+ point wines”. Employee rolls his eyes once well-heeled customer leaves with case of 93+ point wines in tow.

Give me a break…
September 25, 2007

E
Go go Loire Valley reds. Never get tired of those.

89 points is fine, that means the point chasers will be scared away and that’s just fine.

QOD: Crappy restaurant wine lists that invite me to fork over sums I don’t really want to pay for wines I don’t really want to drink.
September 25, 2007

Kev and Ams
QOTD: I am a Hockey Fan (NHL). Not any particular team, just the sport. I can get behind any team (except Dallas) and cheer for them. There is no line in the sand for me (except for the line that despises Dallas).
September 25, 2007

Mr SHY
I agree – points are important, because it helps to narrow down your choices, but buying a wine just because it’s just 1-2 points higher than another is just silly. Better to get to know your local wine dealer, and then once he/she knows your taste – they can suggest something that is in your price range and will be something that you are very likely to enjoy.
September 25, 2007

Arthur
Gary, I have to take issue with the too common misconception that palate means preference.

Liking an aroma or flavor or any combination thereof is not the same as being able to recognize aromas.

When you tell people to train their palate, you are not telling them to enjoy chewing asparagus through a sweaty sock, but rather to familiarize themselves with those aromas.

Maybe if scores were more frequently a reflection of aroma and structure and longevity, indicating balance, varietal typicity and complexity rather than power of exraction or how much the taster liked the wine, they would be more accurate and more useful and possibly more consistent.
September 25, 2007

JonE
floating in the lincoln behind a commuter/Strawberries and Sauerkraut-oh hell noooo G-Man. I go far not that far.

QOTD: Obscenely high rated sherries from Lustau, what the buck chuck!!!
September 25, 2007

Autoproxy
QOTD: The line between posters on WLTV who want to make the top ten and others who want to interact and/or address the QOTD. Ha. Also, ratings in general for any/everything. They just seem to turn people on/off independent of many people’s efforts and exist only tangentially to substance.
September 25, 2007

Arthur
I agree with you Gary on the points issue.

Two issues here – arbitrary assignment of points that somehow represent the whole wine, and no criteria for giving points.

I had built my rating system around a 100 point scale because people still want some bottom
line number. I had done this in hopes that the system would reflect the wine’s character and complexity. Because two wines scored rated at a final 89 points (or 94 or 75) can be so different, I am transitioning to a “BOTTOM LINE” statement that gives my judgement of the wine and an indication of how eager I would be to recommend the wine. I still use points to rate the nose, palate, finish etc, but I am taking the emphasis off the cumulative 100 point score.
September 25, 2007

Sonnenuhr
Great show – lots of wine, good variety, great values, what more can we ask for. Thanks for sharing the Ellen segments, didn’t get a chance to record. Very funny – RP, HJ & Co could never pull that off.

The Best Value is Wine = WLTV
September 25, 2007

Phil G
QOTD â€“ I canâ€™t stand most peopleâ€™s aversion to Riesling. Boy, are they missing something good.
September 25, 2007

italianwinelover
Great ep! Very extensive.

QOTD: Would have to agree with “sk-HAWT from Salt Lake”. The markup in restaurants is totally ridiculous and I can’t stand it. To the point of bringing my own and paying them a corkage fee! At least then I don’t feel like I got ripped off. But then I become a wine snob!!! They can get away with charging an ungodly amount for a wine that might have been opened two or three days ago. If I don’t bring my own I ask what was the last red wine you opened, at least that way I can get something that hasn’t turned yet!!!

Great show once again! Will seek out some of these!
September 25, 2007

de Las
GV, I agree with your general views about regions, esp. walla walla, douro, etc, but I did dig on the turkey flat old vine grenache last vintage. I have already eaten 4 pickles today (they were cornichons), and they were downrighteous with the cremant de bourgogne ($9) that my wife and I enjoyed while picknicking under the fall new mexican sun, on my birthday no less. QOTD-tan lines…
September 25, 2007

Daniel
QOTD: I think when people draw a line in the sand about musical styles it can be ridiculous. Saying you don’t like ANY music from a certain genre is like saying you don’t like ANY wine from a certain grape.
September 25, 2007

TheDumbPhase
QOTD:
Line in the sand I just can’t stand?
I cannot tolerate people that make judgements about others based on the way they look. I was recently down South and I hate to say it but racism is alive and well. Making assumptions and/or discriminating against another human being based on race, creed, sex or sexual preference is just stupid and dangerous.
September 25, 2007

TommyBoBo of WI
Hey, before WLTV I was a 90point on up jerk,, I’ve had a ton of good wines at the 87-89 point range, and I’M NO LONGER AFRAID OF THE SUB 90 WINES!! I’M EMBRACING THEM!

QOTD:line in the sand??? My state ELECTED representatives trying to take away my right to purchase wine from wherever, from whomever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can Wine Library throw a little weight Wisconsin way??????

And where are the damn Gravatars,, this comment section needs some visual beautification
September 25, 2007

Pamela
QOTD: My line is drawn at price point. I would feel like a sucker, a sap, if I spend $50 or up on a bottle. In the $40’s it is a bit of a grey area but it has been done. As I learn more about wine though, I bet I will see this line move!
Gary, are you happy? I am a lurker no more!